It Could Be Worse
by Train wreck1901
Summary: "Please tell me, Yuffie, how this situation could get any worse." AU Yuri. revised


"It could be worse." Lightning closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of nose, a rapidly thinning self-control the only thing keeping her from snapping on the short brunette next to her. She knew the girl was bad news the moment she had found the little thief curled up underneath the dashboard of Sazh's ship, munching on a half-eaten bag of Odin brand potato chips. In reality, she should have just called the police then instead of giving into the girl's seemingly desperate pleas and taking her home. She must have been drunk that night. It was the only logical reason her Judgment could have been impaired enough to allow this girl into her life.

But of course there was nothing she could do about her moment of weakness now, at least not out here in the middle of the ocean.

"…Please tell me, Yuffie, how this situation could get any worse?" It was a good question to a ridiculous statement and Lightning praised herself for managing to keep her temper under control. Yuffie took a little time to answer as she squatted next to Lighting on their small raft. The wind tossed her short looks around wildly, making them stand almost straight up. If Lightning had not been ready to kill the girl, she may have found the sight almost comically adorable. But she was mad and that thought only severed to annoy her further.

Realizing it would take a while for the girl to answer, the pinkette turned her attention elsewhere in hopes of finding something other than water to look at. Her hopes were dashed immediately as all around her, as far as she could see, water surrounded their raft, extending all the way to the horizon and beyond. The sky above was a sickening azure; mimicking the water below and not a single cloud dotted its expanse. The sun beat down mercilessly upon the two companions, its heat magnified by the gently rolling waves. The golden rays seemed to focus solely upon the exposed skin of lightings arms and face.

Lightning sighed in defeat and finally allowed herself to sit down. Next to her, Yuffie was still, blissfully, quiet with her head resting on her hand and her eyes staring into the raft as if an answer lay hidden in the orange plastic. Sighing again, the strawberry blonde thought back to how they had ended up like this. Looking back on it made her feel like it was a cheesy plot of some movie or video game.

After she had stupidly invited the strange teen into her home, she had found out the girl was a high Pbounty criminal in another country called Gaia. She had been on the run from its elite police force, SOLDIER, for weeks before she had met Lightning. The strawberry blonde had somehow gotten roped into helping the girl clear her "falsely" accused name. From there things had taken a negative spiral that they yet to recover. In the two months since they had begun this ridiculous journey they had been chased across three continents, shot at, attacked, and had magic of all types thrown at them. Most recently, the boat they had been traveling on had been destroyed by a giant metal dragon. Lightning had barely managed to get them away on the small raft.

"I've got it!" Yuffie shouted suddenly, dragging Lightning from her thoughts. The girl had stood up, triumphantly pumping her fist in the air, a self-satisfied grin splitting her face." I could still have motion sickness and be barfing all over the place!"

Lightning stared at her companion, vaguely aware that what she was true: having Yuffie throwing up next to her would have been nearly unbearable, however…

"This is only a little better than that," Lightning said flatly, sighing for the third time.

"Yeah, but at least this is an improvement right?" Yuffie continued to grin like an idiot for a moment, before moving closer to lightning and throwing her arm over the older girl's shoulder." Come on Lighting, you've got to admit I'm much better company when I'm not puking my brains out. Aww don't look at me like that you never hated when I got this close before."

"Hn." Lightning grunted in response and turned her head away from the girl, not wanting to give the annoying teenager the satisfaction of knowing she was right. It was the pinkette's worst idea yet as it gave the black haired a girl a chance to jump her. Before she knew what was happening, she was laying on her back with Yuffie hovering over her, straddling her lap. Icy cerulean glared up into chocolate brown for a few moments, searching their depths for a meaning behind this new stunt. Then Yuffie dipped down and pressed her lips firmly against Lightning's in a chaste kiss.

It wasn't their first, but it felt like Yuffie was putting everything she had into making it as tender and loving as she could. Lightning reciprocated, though not with the same intensity. She was still angry with the other girl after all and it wasn't prudent to forgive her after a simple kiss. No matter how good of a kiss it was

Yuffie pulled back from the kiss, a dazed, anxious look on her face. Lightning did her best to glare daggers at her from the ground. The brunette gave a sheepish grin in return, her left hand reaching up to nervously scratch the back of her head." I guess you wouldn't forgive after a kiss, huh? Ha Ha…."

"Right..." Came the flat reply, the soldier's glare not softening.

Yuffie sighed, a blush of shame rising in her cheeks, her eyes looking everywhere that wasn't Lightning. Finally the teen couldn't take it anymore and buried her face in the pinkette's neck as she shouted out her apology." Look, I'm sorry alright! I never should have dragged you out here with me, but I did and that's all there is to it alright? And seriously you should be happy neither of us is dead. This could have been way worse." It all came out in one breath and once she had finished she grew still, her only movement being the gentle rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.

They sat like that for a time, the only sounds were that of the ocean around them and the occasional squawk of a bird as it flew by. Eventually Lightning realized Yuffie had fallen asleep on top of her and, upon deciding that she really didn't feel like moving the girl, she wrapped her arms around her and began to doze as well.

_Yeah, it could be worse._

**A/N well there ya go I suppose. This came from an overwhelming desire to see Lightning and Yuffie paired together and affection for the songs Float On and Dashboard by Modest Mouse, the latter of which is where the title came from. Well thanks for reading and I enjoy constructive criticism so feel free to heap whatever you can on. All you can do is make me a better writer. THANKs.**


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